Simferopol city, Crimea

Simferopol overview

The city lies along the Salgir River where it emerges from the Crimean Mountains. It is an important highway hub of the Crimean Peninsula. There is an airport in the city.

The population of Simferopol is about 340,000 (2016).

Local time in Simferopol city is May 24, 10:20 pm (+2 UTC).

Simferopol city flag

Simferopol city coat of arms

Simferopol city map location

Current Status of Simferopol and Crimea

The current status of Simferopol is disputed between Ukraine and Russia. De facto, it is controlled by Russia as the entire Crimea.

On March 16, 2014, a referendum was held and the results showed that the majority of Crimeans voted for independence of Crimea and joining Russia. However, the legitimacy of the referendum is questionable.

It was not recognized internationally. This event is widely regarded as the annexation of Crimea by Russia. Ukraine considers Crimea as its territory temporarily occupied by Russia.

Simferopol history

Origin of the city

The first settlements on the territory of present day Simferopol appeared in prehistoric times. Napels-Scythian is the most famous among ancient ancestors of the city.

It was the capital of the late Scythian state formed in the 3rd century B.C. and presumably destroyed by the Goths in the 3rd century A.D.

There was no large town on this territory in the early Middle Ages.

During the Crimean Khanate, it was known as Akmesdzhit (Ak-Mechet in the Russian sources). It was the residence of the Kalga - the second person in the state after the Khan. This part of Simferopol is known as the Old Town now.

The Old Town has narrow and crooked streets - typical for oriental towns.

The Russian Empire times

After Crimea was included into the Russian Empire, it was decided to form Tavricheskaya oblast on the territory of the former khanate. Ak-Mechet became the capital of the new region.

In 1784, the construction of administrative and apartment buildings and an Orthodox church began close to Kebir-Dzhami mosque. This district of the city differs by its regular design (straight streets crossing each other at right angles) and mainly two-storey houses.

The town with both newly built quarters and the territory of Ak-Mechet received the name Simferopol. It is translated from the Greek as “the town of benefit”.

The Greek name was chosen due to the fact that, at Catherine II time, it was fashionable to give Greek names to new towns located in the southern territories. This was done in memory of the fact that several Greek colonies existed there at ancient and medieval times.

Soviet period and beyond

During the Russian Civil War (1918-1920), the city was occupied by foreign troops.

In 1945, the autonomous republic was abolished and Simferopol became the center of the Crimean region of Russia. It was granted to the Ukrainian SSR in 1954.

After the declaration of Ukrainian independence in 1991, the city became the center of the movement (Sevastopol was another center) for separating Crimea from Ukraine.

The historical and actual closeness of this region to Russia was an important reason for this movement. The vast majority of the population is Russian-speaking

Simferopol views

Simferopol street view

Author: Razuvaev

Simferopol street

Author: Razuvaev

Simferopol trolleybus

Author: Buryakov

Simferopol features

Simferopol is an important transport hub of Crimea. Almost all the ways from the republic to the outside world cross the city.

Simferopol, Alushta, and Yalta are connected with the longest in the world trolley-bus line (86,5 km).

Most of the Crimean universities are located in the city. The main university of the republic, Tavrichesky National University named after V.I. Vernadsky, founded in 1918, is among them.

Also, the city has a teacher-training, medical and agricultural institutes and several research establishments.

It has a wide range of food-processing industries, produces wine, tobacco and cigarettes. There are light engineering and consumer-goods industries, producing machine-tools, armatures, television sets, clothing and footwear.

Simferopol sights

Museums

The Crimean Ethnographic Museum. The collection of the museum has four thousand artifacts that characterize traditional culture of ethnic groups of Crimea.

The Chocolate Museum. The permanent exhibition “The history of chocolate made in chocolate” is opened in Salon Du Chocolat. All exhibits are unique and made by hand in one copy.

The exhibition opens with a cocoa tree. Near the tree you can see the figurines of the American Indians who first learned how to make chocolate. Also, chocolate portraits of famous people are presented. The pride of the exhibition is a chocolate Eiffel Tower. Kirov Street, 66. Opening hours: 10:00-18:00.

The Art Museum. The museum has more than six thousand works made by the Crimean artists.

The exhibitions: “The landscapes of Crimea”, “The Past of Tavrida”, “Crimea in the Second World War”. Gogol Street, 14. Opening hours: 9:00-17:00, day off - Tuesday.

The Museum of Simferopol history. The museum was opened in 2009. The exhibition includes household items, documents, photos, pictures, and coins. Pushkin Street, 17. Opening hours: 10:00-17:00, day off - Monday.

Architectural monuments

Vorontsov Palace. It is one of the earliest monuments of classical architecture in Crimea, built in 1826-1827. The palace is situated in the landscape park “Salgirka”, founded in the early 19th century. Today, it is a botanical garden of Tauric National University. Yaltinskaya Street, 2, park “Salgirka”.

Scythian Naples. The ruins of the ancient capital of the late Scythian state are located at the top of Peter’s Hill in the center of Simferopol.

You can see a reconstructed tower, the remains of the ancient wall. There is an excavated area with the foundation of a large public building with columns, a granary. Neapolskaya Street.

Kebir-Jami Mosque. It is the main spiritual center of Muslims of Crimea, the architectural monument of the time of the Crimean Khanate. The mosque is the oldest building in the city that gave it its first name of Ak-Mechet (“White Mosque”). The mosque was built in 1508.

In 1907, the building was reconstructed and received its current forms of Turkish religious architecture. The mosque is open to tourists. You have to take off your shoes at the entrance. Kurchatov Street, 4.

Simferopol places

The Parliament of the Crimea Republic

Author: Petr Slezak

Simferopol City Hall

Author: Dudenko

Simferopol railway station

Author: Levus Sergiy

Other places of interest

The chestnut with five trunks. This tree, planted in 1829, reaches 25 meters in height and about 5 meters in circumference. Frunze Street, 30.

Chokurcha Cave. It is the site of a Paleolithic man, one of the oldest monuments of human life in Crimea. The cave is located on the eastern outskirts of Simferopol, in the valley of the Maliy Salgir River.

Among the archaeological finds are flint tools, bones and tusks of mammoths, figures, carved on the limestone. Lugovaya Street, 77.

The Obelisk of Dolgoruky. The monument was erected in honor of the capture of Crimea by the Russian army under the command of General V. Dolgoruky in 1771. Zhukovsky Street.

The merchant row of the late 18th - the early 19th century (shops with columns) - Odesskaya Street, 12;

The house where A.S.Griboyedov lived (1825) - Kirov Street, 25;

The house where L.N.Tolstoy lived (1854-1855) - Tolstoy Street, 4;

The building of the former gymnasium for boys where D.I. Mendeleyev began to work in 1855, and I.V. Kurchatov studied in 1912-1920 - Karl Marx Street, 32;

The house-museum of Ilya Selvinsky;

The scientific library named after I.Franko

The 500-year-old oak “Tavrida’s Hercules” - in Detsky (“Children’s”) park. The trunk of the tree is about 6 meters in circumference, the top crown - 30 meters in diameter. Nearby, there are several 300-500-year-old oaks of smaller size.

Also, Simferopol has a philharmonic society, circus, and several theaters.

Simferopol city, Ukraine photos

Simferopol attractions

Simferopol puppet show theater

Author: Petr Slezak

Simferopol movie theater

Author: Buryakov

Simferopol circus

Author: Parinov Vladimir

Simferopol sights

The remains of ancient Neapolis

Author: Buryakov

Simferopol church

Author: Borzov

Simferopol church

Author: Borzov

The questions of our visitors

martin asks: How far is it from Odessa to Simferopol? and how much would it cost to get there by private car?

Expert's answer:

The distance between Odessa and Simferopol is 466 km. I checked the sites of several Odessa taxi services and the price is about 4 Hryvnas per 1 km, so the cost of the trip is about 2000 Hryvnas or 250 USD. The cost of Odessa-Simferopol train ticket is 100-500 Hryvnas (12-60 USD).

The comments of our visitors

Robert

Simferopol

I first arrive in Simferopol to meet with a lady and we have become fantastic friends. I have now been to Simferopol three time this year to meet with her and she has shown me this beautiful city. I have found that it is a very beautiful place to visit. All of the people whom I have met have been very welcoming, friendly and helpful. I have seen many sights there and I am sure there is so much more to see. So if you are wanting to go, please go. You will enjoy yourself. The only thing is you will need an interpreter if you do not know someone who speaks English. I know a fantastic interpreter if you need one.

MoMo

marcus / history

What a droll, patronising comment. Exterminate the owners of a country, & settle in. Take your 15 minutes of occupying history and go purchase a desperate woman from Ukraina. Brilliant!

Marcus

History

I had met my wife in Simferopol two years ago and was very impressed with the city and its people. I also enjoyed its history. I am slowly learning Russian and understanding its people and culture. I found that people were friendly and kind to me. I am glad i do not need a visa to enter since i am from the USA. You have a beautiful country. Keep up the good work and don't forget your past because that is what makes the Ukraine and the Crimea special.